Cancer Surgery Improvement Project

What is the Cancer Surgery Improvement Project and How is it Impacting Wait Times?

Two years ago,the South West LHIN was reporting the longest waits for cancer surgery in the province. Some patients were waiting over 100 days for surgery. In response to the South West LHIN reporting the longest waits for cancer surgery in the province, the South West LHIN funded the Cancer Surgery Improvement Project to improve access to cancer surgery across the LHIN, starting with Urology.

As a result of solutions implemented in the Cancer Surgery Wait Time Improvement Project cancer surgery wait times across the LHIN currently sit at 57 days. The project is in a monitoring phase to ensure solutions can sustain the "better than target" wait times that have been experienced over the past 10 months.

The Cancer Surgery Wait Time Improvement Project is having a positive impact on patient wait times. Early solutions implemented are demonstrating a sustained effect on the target outcome of reducing cancer surgery wait times throughout the South West LHIN.

Cancer Surgery Close to Home

Marketing has been identified as one of the solutions to help reduce cancer surgery wait times. In November 2012, a marketing campaign was launched to increase public awareness of cancer surgery options throughout the region. "Cancer Surgery Close to Home" features individuals from across the LHIN who share their experiences of cancer care close to home. To learn more about this campaign, click here. (please link to: http://www.southwestcancer.ca/what-are-we-up-to/cancer-surgery-close-home)